Showing posts with label China Town. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China Town. Show all posts

Monday, December 9, 2013

First Monday at The Office

Time for a new blogpost I would say!

Last Tuesday, I started my day at The Office at 10am (great time right?) and met with my new colleagues of the JMIR-team (JMIR = Journal of Medical Internet Research) at the Centre of Global eHealth Innovation. The JMIR team exists of 7 people with different backgrounds and functions and none of them (besides the professor) is a researcher in this field, which basically means I have to figure out things myself or discuss them with the professor. My work during the first couple of days mainly consisted of figuring out exactly what my research will be about, reading about my research topic "Quality assessment of mobile health apps", performing a literature study and writing of my research proposal and work plan. I have my own specious desk in one of the cubicles at the department. I never thought I would be working in an office at an cubicle, but I have to admit, I kind of like it, mainly also because of my specious desk.

In the weekend I took the time to explore China town a bit and to go into every store without buying anything ("Kijken, kijken, niet kopen") and found out that they sell 6 delicious buns for only 3CAD really close by. =) But don't worry mum, I still also cook my own dinner and eat veggies and salad!
I did not do much more besides resting (I'm still tired of who knows what?) and pulling a wardrobe into my bedroom so I could finally clean up my mess and did not have to live anymore from my backpack. =)

Today it was my first Monday at The Office, and it was a Monday I would say... (everybody knows what that means...). On top of that I had to start the day with a lil' bit of snow or "dust" as the locals say, since it was no more than just a tiny little layer.

Nevertheless, I still got some work done today and finally have my own badge, so I can enter The Office without having to wait for someone! Anyways... I note, that I don't write as much on this blog as I wished I would... Sorry guys that totally has to do with the fact that I live so close to The Office. Before I came to Canada, I thought I would post something everyday, pics of funny things I would have seen on my way to The Office, but now I live on only ten minutes walking distance from The Office and not much has happened yet.

Well that was it for today..I have Christmas Holiday party coming up on Thursday and we will go out for lunch with the JMIR-team on Friday, so I will probably have some new pictures by next weekend!


On my way to The Office

The Office
JMIR
My specious desk

My specious desk 2

Delicious Buns


Look Mum!


Oh wardrobe!

Cooking my own meal = cheap!

Veggies

The result

"Dust"

Yep - that's me...

On my way home







Monday, December 2, 2013

My first week

Wow. ok. Now it has been a long time since I posted something. Why it is actually not my fault, because I tried to post something when I was still at Schiphol airport, but somehow it did not work. Anyway, here we are, in Canada.

It all went so fast my last week in the Netherlands. As you know I had still had to attend to two conferences, say goodbye to family and friends and also prepare my trip in the mean time!

I will give you a quick overview of the things that happened in the last week.

Thursday
I woke up at 5am and was at the MIC 2013 conference in Veldhoven. In the afternoon, unfortunately I literally had to run away to catch my train so I wouldn't be late for my band practice later that night, but therefore was not able to say a proper goodbye to everybody who was there, I am sorry guys wished I could have stayed longer, but no worries, I will be back!

So after I run away from the conference, I took the train to my last rehearsal of the ensemble Roman Ensemble who play balkan music! (www.romanensemble.nl) What I thought to be a sad last night with my musical family turned out to become a surprise party, when Roman Oro (www.romanoro.nl) came marching in while playing on their instruments. What a surprise! And that was only the beginning...  Not only they played for me, but I was also exalted to honorary! After the drinks at the music school we went out and danced until the early hours, until I literally had been up for 24 hours with only 7 hours of sleep in three days. It was a blast guys, thanks!



Weekends
On friday I went met MI Consultancy and ate delicious chicken legs! The rest of the days were reserved for preparation cleaning the room, dinner with friends and boring stuff.

Monday
Of course I couldn't leave the Netherlands without seeing the Nightwatch and the newly renovated Rijksmuseum first, so I went there with my dad on my last day in Holland, at least thats what I thought... Because when I got into town it turned out that my uncle had come over all the way from Belgium to see me and wave me a goodbye, or as he says "To make sure I am really gone".
Later that night we had my last dinner in The Netherlands and also my brother and his girlfriend came over to say goodbye.

Yum!
Selfie!


Who is that?
Last meal.




































Tuesday
The next morning it was time to leave Holland, I packed my stuff and went. My dad brought me to the airport, where I met with my uncle and.... Wouter and Guy! Wouter and Guy had decided that it was not ok the way I left the conference the Thursday before and that they wanted to say a proper goodbye, so they came to the airport. Thanks guys I really appreciated it! :-)
And there I went, across the borders, on my way to Canada! My flight with KLM was pleasant although I would have liked more room for my legs. After 8 hours I finally landed on Pearson Toronto Airport and went to the Hotel, closeby where I spent my first night. During that night I had my first bit of snow, which was gone soon enough again.


My flight!
Byebye!




First Canadian dinner

Snow!? 

Wednesday
The next day I went downtown to my hostel (Planet Travellers at College Str.) which is a great place to stay at for a couple of days. I had booked the hostel until December 1st and therefore needed to find a place before then. The same day I already opened a bank account and got my Canadian phone number, so I was able to call the landlords about the rooms.

Timbits!

Thursday, Friday, Saturday
The next couple of days walked across town looking for places and finally found one, on 10 min. walk from the University and close to China Town. Of course during these days I made new friends at the hostel too and on saturday we went out to have a drink at one of the bars near. Since my room was unfurnished I had to buy a bed to sleep on and decided to buy a queen size air mattress.

Dinner 2: Subway...

Dinner 3: One of the best burgers I ever had!

Old factories

TO street


Nice weather
Nice weather 2


CN Tower
Dinner 4: Poutine! Yum!

TO by night

Eaton Centre

Eaton Centre

Eaton Centre

Eaton Centre


Same street different day
Where is the top of the tower?

rain...



TO by night

Out with new friends from the hostel
Canadian pride: Hockey!
Dinner 5 & 6 - First meal at new place: potatoes and chicken

Sunday
Checked out of the hostel and moved in into my new place. Unfortunately because they did some renovation everything was dusty and I had to clean the place first. But looks good now :)

My queen size air mattress
Monday
I met with my supervisor and discussed what I will do the next couple of months during my internship.

That's where I will be the next couple of months